Powers/Abilities: As a powerful Dire Wraith warlock, and thus one of
only a few of his kind, Dr. Dredd could manipulate dark sorcerous
powers that derived their strength from the black sun of his home
world, Wraithworld, and his eyes gleamed red when he utilized Wraith
magic, being able to wield several different spells at once. This
included bonding a human to empty Spaceknight armor and weaving in a
spell to force the person to do his will. He could also instantly
enthrall a human and shoot a spell that wrapped the victim in black
tendrils and claws. He was able to cast a teleport spells to travel
around the world, including carrying at least one other person.

As
a Dire Wraith, he could also
change his shape by mentally altering his bodily structure into any
organic form, notably humans and a red, armed and fanged serpent.
However, he emitted a foul scent that was noticeable to Galadorians. He
was susceptible to Rom's neutralizer, which would banish him into
limbo. However, while considerably thrown by Torpedo's jet-powered
punch, he nevertheless withstood the attack and survived the
destruction of Brandy Clark's lab. When he died, his body crumbled to
dust. Similar to other Wraiths, he had an abject fear of Spaceknights,
especially Rom. In his human identity as Dr. Dredd, he stood about 5'9"
tall and seemed to have a flair for the dramatic as he morphed his form
to have a strong widow's peak on his forehead, dark flowing cape, cowl,
boots and gloves, as well as golden broach at his neck.

History:

(Rom#40 (fb) - BTS) - Dr. Dredd
observed the transfer of light powers from Starshine's spirit to Brandy
Clark and recognized her desire to be closer to Rom. So he was sent by
the Dire Wraiths to help her achieve her goal, yet also use her as a
weapon against Rom.

(Rom#38) - In an effort to get
closer to Rom the Spaceknight, with whom she had fallen in love, Brandy
Clark recovered the buried and lifeless armor of Starshine and took it
back with her to a closed pharmaceutical lab. While pondering her
dilemma on how to become a Spaceknight, she was suddenly confronted by
Dr. Dredd.

(Rom#38 - BTS) - Brandy agreed to
Dr. Dredd's aid to facilitate the process to mystically merge her and
the Starshine armor.

(Rom#39) - Brandy's fiancé, Steve
Jackson, seeking to track her down, found her enthralled form hovering
before the Starshine armor, with Dr. Dredd manipulating alien magic to
bind the two together. Dr. Dredd then menacingly turned his attention
to Steve.

(Rom#40) - Dr. Dredd held Steve in
his thrall and explained what was happening to Brandy. Steve was
helpless as Dr. Dredd merged the two female forms in a sparkling cloud
of light. However, Torpedo (Brock Jones) suddenly smashed through the
window to confront Dr. Dredd. Torpedo's enhanced visor revealed the
Dire Wraith in his true form and the fearsome alien admitted as such,
but also stated that he was one of few Wraith warlocks in existence,
even though his mystic "sisters" had usurped sorcery for themselves.
Still in his Dr. Dredd form, the Wraith wrapped Torpedo in black
tendrils, but the hero was able to break free and landed a powerful
jet-powered punch that knocked the warlock back. The Wraith was rescued
by the ensorcelled Starshine, now under the command of the Dire
Wraiths, whose light beams knocked Torpedo down.

(Rom#41) - Starshine let loose
with another attack, causing the labs to explode. Torpedo managed to
escape with Steve and dropped him a short distance off. They observed
Dr. Dredd and Starshine standing amidst the wreckage. Dr. Dredd then
commanded Starshine to wreak havoc with her eyebeams upon Clairton for
resisting the Dire Wraith incursion. Torpedo sought to halt her rampage
but was blasted away by her. Dr. Dredd then ordered her to return
before teleporting them both away using sorcery with the objective to
track down and destroy Rom.

(Rom#42) - With Dr. Strange's
help, Rom found a new infestation of Dire Wraiths in the Khystym Region
of the Soviet Union and traveled there, only to be duped by Quasimodo,
the Living Computer, in an underground lab into surrendering his armor
to become human again through cloning, while Quasimodo took over the
silver Spaceknight armor with the help of several Dire Wraiths.
Ironically, Rom's efforts were to become human so as to be with Brandy.

(Rom#43) - To eliminate the threat
of the Dire Wraiths taking the Spaceknight armor away from him,
Quasimodo dispatched the four Wraiths using Rom's neutralizer. Just
then, Dr. Dredd and Starshine teleported in behind Quasimodo and, on
the Wraith warlock's command, Starshine attacked the armor of Rom with
murderous intent, not realizing that Rom was no longer inside but
instead Quasimodo. Dr. Dredd combined his dark Wraith magic with
Starshine's light beams, causing Quasimodo great pain, much to the
warlock's delight. Quasimodo fired the neutralizer at Dr. Dredd, but
was saved by Starshine. Quasimodo then fled outside pursued by
Starshine, passing the rapidly decaying human form of Rom. Dr. Dredd
followed, pushing the real Rom aside, although Rom recognized the
stench of Wraith about Dredd. Rom pounced on Dr. Dredd and grasped his
throat, and was told of the Wraith's actions. An enraged Rom then began
to strangle Dr. Dredd, who morphed into a red serpent to escape, but
Rom held fast. As he died, Dr. Dredd returned to his Wraith body before
crumbling to ash.

(Annihilators#4/1 (fb)) - Dr.
Dredd's spirit was contacted by the Skrull Klobok, who had been
researching his race's arcane past. From him, Klobok learned the ways
of magic and later assumed his identity.